US to raise tariffs on imports from South Korea
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump announced an increase in tariffs on South Korea from 15% to 25%, according to a post by Trump on the Truth Social platform.
The US president said the new tariffs will apply to South Korean automobiles, lumber, pharmaceutical products and any other reciprocal trade items.
He said the increase was prompted by South Korea’s parliament failing to ratify the trade agreement reached by the two countries’ leaders during Trump’s visit to Seoul.
"South Korea's Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States. President Lee and I reached a Great Deal for both Countries on July 30, 2025, and we reaffirmed these terms while I was in Korea on October 29, 2025," Trump stated.
He stressed that trade agreements are very important for the United States.
"In each of these Deals, we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to. We, of course, expect our Trading Partners to do the same," Trump concluded.
Trade agreement between Washington and Seoul
In October 2025, Donald Trump said South Korea would pay hundreds of billions of dollars in exchange for Washington lowering tariffs.
According to Trump, Seoul also agreed to buy US oil and gas in "huge volumes," and investments in the United States by South Korean companies and businesspeople would exceed $600 billion.
In return, the White House allowed South Korea to build nuclear submarines.
In late July 2025, Donald Trump announced that the United States and South Korea had reached a trade deal. According to him, the agreement provides for the introduction of a 15% tariff for Seoul.
In addition, Trump said that under the deal South Korea would invest $350 billion in the US economy. It was also noted that the country plans to allocate another $100 billion to purchase liquefied natural gas and other energy products from the United States.
